In a major regulatory development poised to reshape the engineering consultancy landscape in the Emirate, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has issued Law No. (14) of 2025 to govern the professional practice of engineering consultancy offices.

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The new law, reported by the Dubai Media Office, seeks to align the sector with international best practices, reinforce operational standards, and attract top-tier global players. It introduces a comprehensive legal framework aimed at regulating service providers, incentivising investment, and enhancing project execution efficiency, ultimately positioning Dubai as a premier global hub for engineering consultancy services.

One of the core provisions of the law is the prohibition of unlicensed activity. Individuals and firms may not engage in any engineering consultancy work, spanning disciplines such as architectural, civil, electrical, electronic, mechanical, mining, petroleum, chemical, coastal, and geological engineering, without valid authorisation.

Engineering consultancy offices must obtain a trade license and be registered with Dubai Municipality, including full disclosure of their classification, licensed activities, and the qualifications of technical staff. Misrepresenting oneself as an engineering consultant without these credentials is now explicitly banned.

Further, the law bars consultancy offices from operating outside their licensed scope, employing unregistered engineers, or partnering with unlicensed companies for any aspect of engineering consultancy within Dubai.

Unified registration via ‘Invest in Dubai’ platform

To streamline and centralise the licensing process, Dubai Municipality will coordinate with relevant authorities to establish a unified electronic registration system, integrated into the ‘Invest in Dubai’ platform as mandated by Decree No. (13) of 2024.

This integrated platform will serve as a one-stop solution for:

• Processing applications for registration and classification
• Issuing professional competency certificates
• Managing updates to engineering consultancy activities across the emirate

Dubai Municipality will oversee the operation, regular updates, and full integration of the system, aiming to increase transparency and efficiency in evaluating and registering engineering consultants.

Registry and classification system

Under the new regulation, Dubai Municipality will maintain an updated registry of licensed engineering consultancy offices, complete with details such as each office’s consultancy scope, classification, and technical personnel.

The law also mandates the development of a dynamic classification system to assess and rank companies involved in construction, building, or demolition based on technical and operational criteria. Competency certifications for technical staff will also be managed and issued by the municipality under this system.

Law No. (14) of 2025 calls for the formation of a permanent ‘Committee for the Regulation and Development of Engineering Consultancy Activities’, to be appointed by the Chairman of The Executive Council.

The committee will be chaired by a representative from Dubai Municipality and include stakeholders from various relevant authorities. It will operate under Decree No. (1) of 2023, which governs the functioning of government committees. The committee is tasked with overseeing sector development, resolving disputes, and ensuring ongoing alignment with the law’s objectives.

Clarified office types and eligibility criteria

The law clearly defines the categories of engineering consultancy offices eligible to operate in Dubai, including:

• Local companies established in the emirate
• Branches of UAE-based companies with at least three consecutive years of experience
• Branches of foreign firms with a minimum of ten years of consecutive global experience
• Joint ventures between local and foreign entities with at least ten years’ consultancy experience

Additionally, engineering advisory offices, operated by registered engineers with at least ten years of experience, are recognised under the law. These firms are authorised to offer expert opinions and consultancy services. The law also accommodates engineering audit offices, which are licensed to conduct third-party audits for compliance and quality assurance in engineering activities.

Licensing, registration and compliance procedures

The new law outlines detailed procedures for:

• Registering and classifying engineering consultancy offices
• Specifying the duration and renewal of registrations
• Rules for deregistration
• Registration and removal of technical staff

All technical personnel and offices must bring their operations in full compliance with the new provisions within one year from the law’s effective date. Extensions may be granted, but expired registrations must be renewed with a formal commitment to adhere to the law.

Penalties and appeal mechanisms

Violators of the law could face fines up to Dhs100,000, especially in cases of unlicensed activity or non-compliance. Repeat offenders within the same year will be subject to escalating penalties.

Additional administrative measures may include:

• Suspension of consultancy operations for up to a year
• Downgrading of office classification
• Removal from the official registry
• Cancellation of commercial licences
• Suspension or removal of staff from professional registries
• Revocation of competency certificates

Dubai authorities also reserve the right to notify the UAE Society of Engineers about serious violations. Those penalised may submit a written appeal within 30 days of being notified. The competent committee will issue a final and binding decision within 30 days, to be communicated within five working days.

This legislative update officially annuls Local Order No. (89) of 1994 and its amendments, which previously governed the engineering consultancy profession in Dubai. However, existing decisions, circulars, and guidelines will remain temporarily valid provided they do not conflict with the new law, until fresh regulations are issued.

The new law will be published in the Official Gazette and will come into force six months from the date of its publication.

DP World has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with global commerce platform PayPal to develop a digital payments solution aimed at simplifying and accelerating cross-border trade.

The initiative, part of DP World’s broader Digital Payments programme, is designed to allow merchants, marketplaces, shippers, exporters, and importers to complete international transactions faster and with greater transparency.

The system could reduce settlement times from several days to minutes, according to the company.

Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, DP World Group chairman and CEO, said: “In logistics, speed and transparency mean everything and payments linked to logistics are no different, which is why we have undertaken our Digital Payments initiative. Our collaboration with PayPal is part of this initiative which aims to provide our customers with reliable options for cross-border payments that are faster, and more transparent, than traditional systems without compromising security. By simplifying global transactions, we are enabling businesses of every size to grow, move faster, and operate more efficiently across markets.”

“This solution marks another important step in DP World’s journey to transform the supply chain and make trade flow more efficiently. These partnerships allow us to bring trusted, digital-first solutions to global commerce, helping businesses and individuals trade more efficiently,” he added.

Cross-border payments key to global trade, says PayPal CEO

Alex Chriss, president and CEO of PayPal, said: “Global trade works best when payments are fast, transparent, and secure. That is exactly what this partnership with DP World is delivering. For too long, global businesses have been underserved by traditional cross-border payment systems. Today, we are setting a new standard. I am proud to mark this milestone in a region that is becoming a global hub for digital innovation, as we continue building more connected and inclusive financial services for businesses worldwide.”

DP World said the collaboration combines its global supply chain expertise with PayPal’s payments infrastructure to reduce friction in international trade and enhance efficiency for businesses.

The company added that its Digital Payments initiative leverages technologies such as distributed ledger systems and stablecoin-based solutions through licensed payment partners, in line with applicable regulatory frameworks.

Read: PayPal’s Suzan Kereere on the company’s growing presence in the Middle East

In a strategic move to improve Dubai’s transport infrastructure, the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), in collaboration with Majid Al Futtaim Properties, has opened a 300-metre single-lane bridge on Sheikh Zayed Road.

This new bridge is designed to handle up to 900 vehicles per hour and offers motorists traveling from Abu Dhabi and Jebel Ali direct access to the Mall of the Emirates car parks.

Read more-Dubai’s Sheikh Zayed Road expansion to handle 14,000 vehicles per hour

According to the Dubai Media Office, the development is part of a broader project that includes upgrades to the mall’s entrances, surrounding roads, intersections, pedestrian walkways, and cycling tracks.

Mattar Al Tayer, Director General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of RTA, emphasized the importance of the initiative: “This project forms part of RTA’s efforts, in collaboration with real estate development partners, to enhance the infrastructure of the road network serving property developments and shopping centres. The objective is to improve traffic flow and facilitate the mobility of residents and visitors across various areas.”

Comprehensive infrastructure enhancements

The broader infrastructure work involved:

• Widening the southbound ramp at Umm Suqeim junction
• Upgrading the junction to improve access from Umm Suqeim Street to the existing bridge leading to the car parks
• Upgrading 2.5 km of at-grade roads around Mall of the Emirates
• Developing six signalised intersections
• Modifying the bus station at Mall of the Emirates Metro Station
• Converting the road adjacent to the Kempinski Hotel from one-way to two-way
• Enhancing pedestrian and cycling tracks
• Improvements to road paving, lighting, traffic signals, stormwater drainage, and landscaping

Al Tayer noted the operational impact of these changes: “The new bridge reduces the travel time for motorists coming from Abu Dhabi and Jebel Ali to Mall of the Emirates from 10 minutes to just one minute. It also enhances traffic efficiency and improves road safety on the roads surrounding the mall.”

Next up: Umm Suqeim Street overhaul

Looking ahead, the RTA is set to launch the Umm Suqeim Street Improvement Project later this year. Spanning 6 kilometre, this major upgrade extends from the junction with Jumeirah Street to Al Khail Road and is aimed at easing traffic congestion and supporting Dubai’s rapid urban growth.

The project includes:

• Upgrading six major junctions connecting Umm Suqeim Street to Jumeirah Street, Al Wasl Street, Sheikh Zayed Road, First Al Khail Street, Al Asayel Street, and Al Khail Road
• Construction of four bridges and two tunnels with a total length of 3,450 metres
• A tunnel at Umm Suqeim Street and Jumeirah Street with two lanes in each direction, in addition to a signalised surface-level junction
• Another tunnel at Umm Suqeim Street and Al Wasl Street to provide a direct flow from Sheikh Zayed Road to Jumeirah Street
• Two bridges at the intersection with Sheikh Zayed Road to remove overlapping traffic
• Surface-level improvements at First Al Khail Road junction

Capacity expansion and connectivity

To further accommodate growing traffic demands, a new lane will be added on Umm Suqeim Street between First Al Khail Road and Al Asayel Street, expanding it to four lanes in each direction. The project also includes the construction and widening of two key bridge crossings: one linking Al Khail Road to the Al Quoz Industrial Area, and another connecting Umm Suqeim Street to Al Khail Road in the direction of Deira.

“These efforts aim to not only enhance traffic flow and road safety, but also support commercial and residential developments in these fast-growing areas,” added Al Tayer.

With Dubai’s population and urban footprint continuing to expand, RTA’s transport upgrades, driven by strategic public-private partnerships, are expected to play a crucial role in sustaining mobility and accessibility for years to come.

The UAE’s Federal Tax Authority (FTA) said it has recorded a surge in corporate tax returns and payments for the first filing season, citing strong compliance and the effectiveness of its digital systems and awareness campaigns.

FTA director general Khalid Ali Al Bustani said more than 640,000 companies have registered for corporate tax, with “hundreds of thousands” of returns and annual declarations processed for entities whose financial year ended on December 31, 2024.

The filing and payment deadline for those entities was the end of September.

FTA credits digital systems that supports easy corporate tax filing

Al Bustani said the high level of voluntary compliance reflected “growing tax awareness among business sectors” and the efficiency of the authority’s EmaraTax digital platform, which allows taxpayers to file and pay taxes in minutes.

The authority said the strong response from businesses demonstrates confidence in the country’s tax framework and the success of its “Zero Bureaucracy” initiative, which has simplified processes and reduced administrative burdens.

FTA data shows that daily support requests during peak periods were handled through the authority’s call centre and digital channels.

To encourage compliance, the UAE cabinet earlier approved an initiative exempting companies from administrative penalties for late registration, provided they file their returns within seven months of the end of their first tax period.

The FTA has also extended filing deadlines for certain companies and introduced a grace period until March 31, 2025 for updating tax records without penalties.

Al Bustani said the authority’s outreach included 154 awareness sessions attended by about 48,000 participants, supported by guides, videos, and infographics published on the FTA’s website.

Established in 2016, the FTA manages the UAE’s tax collection and compliance framework, part of efforts to diversify the economy and align with international standards.

In the rapidly evolving world of digital retail, Trendyol has emerged as a name to watch. Founded in Türkiye in 2010, the company has since grown into a decacorn with a $16.5bn valuation in 2021 and a global customer base currently exceeding 40 million. Now, Trendyol is making waves in the Gulf, leveraging a decade of technological expertise, local partnerships and deep consumer insight to reshape e-commerce in the region.

As Trendyol debuts as a sponsor of GITEX Global 2025, taking the stage on October 15th to showcase its advanced use of AI, its presence signals a clear intent: to successfully transplant and scale its technological know-how across the MENA region.

Here, president Çağlayan Çetin talks to Gulf Business about Trendyol’s ambitious expansion, unwavering commitment to SMEs and the massive technological investments shaping its next decade.

Core proposition

Trendyol entered a competitive Gulf market with a proven model honed over a decade in Türkiye. “Our focus as an online marketplace lies in giving customers the right product at the right price and providing sellers with the tools and insights to scale at pace,” Çetin states. This strategy has resulted in a market-leading platform supporting over 250,000 merchants and serving more than 30 million domestic customers with a diverse, multi-category offering across fashion, beauty, homeware, accessories and electronics enhanced by an AI-supported shopping experience. It has also enabled the company’s international roll out into Germany, Azerbaijan, Central and Eastern Europe, and the Gulf, successfully acquiring over nine million more customers.

In the Gulf, Trendyol has secured more than 3.7 million customers, a figure underpinned by local teams, dedicated offices and regional warehouses. The marketplace model is the undeniable engine of this success, generating 85 per cent of regional revenues.

Çetin is emphatic about the role of local businesses: “We currently have 5,000 local sellers on board… That shows one thing very clearly, local businesses are at the heart of our strategy and we expect to grow that local seller number exponentially before the end of the year.”

With 35 per cent of all products on the platform being sold by fast growing local brands and SMEs, Trendyol is rapidly transforming into a truly indigenous platform.

Mastering hyper-localisation in the GCC

Trendyol’s aggressive expansion across the Gulf is built upon a hyper-localisation strategy driven by deep, market-specific insights from the region’s two largest digital leaders, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. President Çetin is clear on the fundamental rule for success: “You cannot operate from a distance.” This imperative has shaped the company’s approach, necessitating heavy investment in local infrastructure, local people and alliances.

Saudi Arabia quickly became the company’s vital launchpad, now standing as its largest international market and the source of 75 per cent of all regional orders. The team’s early experience revealed a key behavioural insight: online shopping in the kingdom is highly discovery-led. “People do not always open apps looking for one specific product. They want inspiration, they want to browse, they want to discover new brands,” Çetin explains. This understanding is crucial, directly informing Trendyol’s intense focus on curation, local content, and highly relevant collections. To serve this immense demand, the company has established local offices and fulfillment centers to reduce delivery times and expanded local teams to provide sellers with hands-on support for onboarding, inventory management, and scaling operations nationwide.

The UAE, by contrast, presents a broader, more diverse shopper base that primarily values variety and a seamless digital experience. The company responded swiftly by investing in a dedicated warehouse, office, and team, which has significantly cut delivery times and bolstered customer trust. Across both Saudi Arabia and the UAE, the core strategy remains the same: investing deeply in local infrastructure, local teams, and strong local partnerships to ensure the experience is optimised for both shoppers and sellers. Trendyol’s vision extends beyond the GCC core as it prepares to establish a ‘Digital Silk Road’.

Leveraging Türkiye’s geographical proximity and its technological capabilities, the company is preparing to expand services to Iraq and is also exploring the possibility of extending its services to Syria, aiming to contribute constructively to those countries’ e-commerce ecosystems. This expansion also includes a significant logistical development: utilising a new transit land route through Iraq that will enhance delivery options for Saudi Arabia and other GCC countries. “This development marks a significant step in expanding our delivery options,” Çetin states, underlining their commitment to regional connectivity and scale. For Trendyol, localisation is foundational, not optional, and is continuously supported by technology and deep partnerships.

“Localisation is key to our success. It’s about how we present ourselves, it’s about how we communicate, it’s about the type of product we offer, as well as, of course, the type of companies that we partner with to best serve our customers,” Çetin states. This commitment manifests through the following approaches:

• Cultural and tech adaptation: The platform offers full Arabic support, local customer service, and relevant payment and delivery options. To empower cross-border sellers, Trendyol has armed them with Türkiye’s first large language model (LLM), enabling seamless translation of product details. The product mix includes Trendyol’s beloved own brand, Trendyol Collection plus curated seasonal capsules, modest wear collections and ranges from some of the biggest local and international brands, balancing cultural relevance with global trends.
• Social commerce: The company has cultivated one of the region’s largest influencer networks, partnering with over 15,000 creators across Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok. Çetin notes that these experiences, “powered by digital storytelling and an intuitive app, drive acquisition and build emotional connections that keep customers coming back.”

SMEs are an “absolutely integral part of our platform,” Çetin emphasises. Trendyol helps them flourish by unlocking audiences and providing scale. The digital Seller Center gives merchants full autonomy over their operations, from inventory and pricing to campaigns and payments, while equipping them with real-time insights to make smarter business decisions.

Çetin uses a personal story to illustrate this impact: “I give the example of my local barber, who has one shop in Istanbul and is now selling his well-regarded hair lotion on Trendyol, across the world.”

This ambition is magnified through strategic collaborations, such as with Zid, which connects Trendyol directly with thousands of Saudi SMEs, and Monsha’at, the Saudi SME authority, for building trust and facilitating seller onboarding. “From female-led fashion startups to independent home décor businesses, we’ve seen thousands of entrepreneurs use Trendyol as their launchpad. For us, helping SMEs succeed is central to how we contribute to the region’s digital economy,” he adds.

Of technology and trust

With a dedicated tech team of more than 2,000 people, Trendyol’s identity as a tech-powered business ensures that innovation is not an add-on but rather is embedded in every customer and seller interaction. Çetin confirms this strategy: “As a tech-powered business, AI is embedded in everything we do, shaping both the customer experience and the seller journey.”

For customers, AI ensures shopping feels instinctively personal, offering curated product recommendations, powering smoother, native discovery in Arabic, and even generating culturally relevant items like their AI-designed modest wear collection. For sellers, the technology is an empowerment tool, providing crucial real-time insights for demand forecasting, competitive pricing, and efficient inventory management. Furthermore, AI simplifies the onboarding process for local SMEs with real-time translation tools, allowing them to list products quickly and accurately. The investment in technology directly correlates to customer trust and loyalty.

Logistical improvements have been dramatic: by establishing local warehouses in Saudi Arabia and the UAE and partnering with last-mile providers like Aramex, Starlink, and Saudi Post, Trendyol has reduced initial delivery times from up to nine days to approximately four days, significantly increasing reliability. This proximity ensures returns are managed efficiently, a crucial trust factor. Çetin stresses, “Trust absolutely drives loyalty so ensuring we have a great experience is vital,” a commitment upheld by the Trendyol Assistant, an AI-driven virtual agent that handles customer queries quickly and accurately in multiple languages.

Beyond operational efficiency, Trendyol is committing capital to build the foundational infrastructure for future dominance. The company is securing its digital ecosystem through three major strategic investments. First, a landmark partnership with Castle Investments is underway to build a $500m, 48MW data centre in Ankara, which will provide the necessary immense capacity and secure data management to ensure optimal performance and scalability for their 40 million-plus customers. Second, alongside partners ADQ, Ant International, and Baykar, Trendyol is actively developing a fintech platform in Türkiye to potentially offer AI-powered digital payments, loans, deposits, and insurance. Finally, they are evaluating developing their own cloud business with the crucial support of their strategic investor, Alibaba’s AliCloud, which will further support AI-driven product development plans.

Çetin shares that these wide-ranging investments prove their commitment is long-term: “Together, these initiatives show that we’re not just building for today’s needs; we’re laying the foundations for the next decade of digital commerce right across the broader region.”

Leading the digital frontier

The future of e-commerce in MENA is not a distant prospect, but a landscape actively being shaped by three pivotal trends: personalised shopping experiences, advanced technology integration, and influencer marketing. Recognising that the Gulf is an intensely mobile-first, socially-driven market, Trendyol has built its acquisition and retention strategy on authentic digital storytelling and cultural resonance. This approach is best exemplified by the company’s powerful social commerce engine, which leverages a vast network of over 15,000 creators across Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok.

By meeting customers “where they are on their phones, in their feeds, and in their cultural moments,” Trendyol drives organic engagement, acquisition, and the emotional connections that keep shoppers returning. This commitment to continually evolving the platform through AI-driven applications underscores their positioning to lead the market.

Trendyol’s major sponsorship at GITEX Global 2025 and Çetin’s dedicated session on the use of AI only serves to underscore this momentum and belief in the platform’s scalability. Ultimately, Çetin emphasises the long-term vision: “By focusing on customer satisfaction, technological advancement, and sustainable local investment, we’re confident Trendyol is well positioned to thrive in the fast-changing e-commerce landscape and continue supporting both sellers and shoppers across the Gulf.”

Trendyol is not just competing in the market; it’s actively working to lead its digital transformation.